154 POTATO-FUNODS. 



varying nidus for the Fungus. From large experience, I consider it 

 probable that Phytophthora grows more easily on a plant at the height 

 of its development than on young stalks and leaves. It would be in- 

 teresting, but not easy, to establish this clearly by experiment. It 

 is a question, however, which would lead me beyond the limits of my 

 present task were 1 to follow it out to its issue. 



Strasbourg, December, 1875. 



[We are indebted to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society 

 for permission to reprint this article from their " Journal," and for the 

 use of the accompanying woodcuts ] 



procccDings^ of ^ocictic^. 



LiNNEAN Society, March 2. — Prof. G. J. Allman, F.R.S., Presi- 

 dent, in the chair. The Chairman, before commencing his duties for 

 tlie evening, intimated the sad loss the Society hud met with in the 

 deaths of two of its oldest members — viz., John J. lienuett, F.R.S., 

 and Adolphe T. Brongniart. A brief eulogium was passed on each, 

 and their labours in the cause of Botany summarised. We refer 

 our readers to the obituary notices in this Journal (pp. 94 and 97) for 

 details. The botanical papers read were : — '' On a new genus of 

 TurneracecR from Rodriguez," by I. B. Balfour. Boh Gaudine is 

 the name by which tliis tree is known to the inhabitants of Rodriguez. 

 Handsome though small, never attaining any great heigiit, it grows 

 chiefly on the hilly parts of the island. Its wood is hue-grained and 

 light-coloured, and might be made serviceable for the jiurposes of the 

 carpenter, though it is seldom used. It has an erect habit, and the 

 terminal branchlets are clothed with light green foliage. The author 

 thinks it worthy of generic separation, and terms it JIathurina. In 

 dealing with its affinities ne regards it as closely connected with the mono- 

 typic Panama genus JErilichia. — Mr. J. G. Baker made some general 

 observations on the flora of Rodriguez. Air. Balfour's collections com- 

 prised 280 species, of which 110 were general weeds of the tropics, 

 leaving 170 indigenous Phanerogauis and Ferns. Of these thirty-live 

 appear to be new species and two new genera, the one above described 

 and another a Rubiaceous plant. The general flora has a strong 

 affinity to that of the neighbouring island Mauritius, and the new 

 species aie members of Mauritian or of cosmopolitan genera, such as 

 Quivisia, Jiugenia, Lobelia, Clerodendron, IIyj)oestes, Cojfea, Pilea, 

 Fepcromia, Aloe. There are three new Palms and two new Pandanece. 

 A new Abrotanella shows affinity witli the more temperate floras of 

 Australia and Chili, and Nesogencs is a Polynesian genus. — The Rev. 

 J. M. Crombie alluded to the Lichens of the island. There are sixty 

 or seventy species, including several endemic cortical ones. A com- 

 parison with Mauritius is impossible, as very few Lichens are known 

 from that island. The Rodriguez ones have considerable affinity with 

 those of Ceylon. — " On Pollen," by M. P. Edgeworth. The author 

 treated of the shape and relative size of the pollen-grains in many 

 orders of plants. About 400 diflcrcnt species have been carefully 



